Mineralogy and geochemistry of recent sediments in Basrah, Southern Iraq

Abstract

The study of mineralogical and geochemical properties of recent sediments included collecting and analyzing thirty one surface samples from fifteen sites in Basrah city. The results of grain size analysis showed that the sand increases towards the west and southern part of Basrah, whilst clay fractions increase towards the north and eastern parts. Quartz, calcite, gypsum, feldspar, dolomite, and halite represent the light minerals in the study area sediments, while the clay minerals are represented by kaolinite, palygorskite, illite, chlorite, montmorillonite, and montmorillonite-chlorite. Calcium oxide and silica are the most abundant oxides in all analyzed sediments in the study area followed by Fe2 O3, Al2 O3, TiO2, MgO, Na2 O, and K2 O with high percentage of loss of ignition.